Roughly one month from now, twins Amen and Ausar Thompson are more than likely going to make history in the upcoming NBA Draft (June 22nd) as the first brothers to go in the top 10 in the year. They will also ensure that two of the first ten (or five?) players selected will have come from Overtime Elite, an innovative basketball league founded by one of the most relevant names in hoops in recent history.
In 2016, Overtime started pulling up to high school gyms to cover their favorite players and helping them make a name for themselves on their way to the next level. (Those Zion highlight videos still ring a bell to anyone?) However, it was their dedication paired with a clear target group (young athletes and their peers) that made Overtime stand out like a sore thumb in a media landscape dominated by talking heads.
Today, many of those players have gone on to do big things and have brought the story full circle by becoming part of the Overtime family. Together, they build everything from highly sought-after clothing collections to disruptive new sports leagues and a content empire, all aimed globally at the next generation of sports fans and athletes.
Overtime Elite was created as a developmental program to take care of players on and off the court and provide an alternative path to becoming a professional athlete (compared to the traditional road of college, or other models like the G League Ignite or overseas leagues).
We got more development at Overtime Elite. More hours, more time in the gym, more opportunities, more time to work on some of our weaknesses. Some guys in college or elsewhere have only a certain amount of time to adjust and learn, but we could be in the gym all day.
Amen Thompson via CBS Sports
There are multiple examples to illustrate the Overtime phenomenon, but a look at their investors paints an equally impressive and insightful picture: While the nine-figure investments come from financial whales (like Jeff Bezoz among others), the group also includes a who-is-who of NBA stars, spearheaded by Kevin Durant, as well as Drake.
With OT7, a low-contact, seven-on-seven American football league (founded in 2022) and Overtime Boxing (OTX) launching this year, the Thompson twins’ NBA debut will only be one of the milestones for Overtime in 2023.
One – of many – thing(s) that makes Overtime stand out is the relationships they have built. They have put in the work, sure. Have they had the right idea at the right time? More than once. But what keeps so many people coming back – from the players to the basketball fans around the world – is the unique spot that Overtime was able to carve out in the global hoops community (and beyond).
With basketball deeply rooted in BSTN’s DNA, we’re proud to be the first European store to introduce the Overtime lineup to our community. Find a hand-picked selection of Overtime apparel staples via the button below!
